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Counseling Services

Comprehensive Services


A counselor is assigned to each student based on graduation year. In addition to in-person services, school counselors can also provide a number of resources in support of the school counseling program on grade-level Canvas pages.

Class of 2025: Dan Bemke

Class of 2026: Sarah Nelson

Class of 2027: Dan Bemke

Class of 2028: Sarah Nelson

Our role is to provide comprehensive services that meet the personal/social, academic, and career preparation/college planning needs of all students. Our goal is to promote a commitment to lifelong learning, personal, and academic growth, and to aid students in becoming responsible, culturally aware, and productive members of society.

Counselors at West Michigan Aviation Academy adhere to the American School Counselor Association’s Code of Ethics. As such, we believe the counseling relationship between students and their school counselor requires an atmosphere of trust and confidence. Students must trust the school counselor in order to be able to enter into a meaningful and honest dialogue. Information shared with a school counselor will remain confidential unless the counselor learns of potential harm to the student or someone else, or if reporting is legally required. If potential harm exists, the counselor will use professional judgment to confer and/or report out.

School Counseling

College & Career Planning

  • Deliver grade-level classroom guidance lessons on career and college exploration and planning
  • Host Junior Conferences for individual college and career planning
  • Facilitate programs and events including: college rep visits, information nights, financial aid workshops, and college fairs
  • Coach and advise students in finding, applying, and securing scholarship funds
College Rep Visits

Social/Emotional Support

  • Facilitate peer mediation
  • Implement crisis support and brief solution-focused counseling
  • Administer and respond to universal wellness screener for all students
  • Lead TRAILS groups for anxiety and depression
  • Confer & refer with internal and community mental health support team members

Academic Planning 

  • Support students in developing and implementing 4-year Educational Development Plans
  • Collaborate with students, teachers and families to register and schedule students in alignment with post-secondary goals
  • Administer and analyze classroom level and standardized test data for accurate course selection
  • Provide intervention and supports for struggling learners
  • Host school wide programs, such as honors assemblies and commencement, to recognize student accomplishments